


Out of the Darkness

by lisaof9



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-07-30
Packaged: 2020-07-26 01:53:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20035930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lisaof9/pseuds/lisaof9
Summary: In response to the Christmas in July Supersantafemslash Exchange.For: ImaginaryDragonsPrompt: Siobhan era Kara gets upset and jealous of Siobhan and one day she kind of snaps and goes to quit but in her rant (about quitting) she admits she's in love with Cat





	Out of the Darkness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ImaginaryDragons](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaginaryDragons/gifts).

Kara Danvers had gotten used to being “normal” and “average” and decidedly “not super” a decade earlier. Then she went to work for Cat Grant.

Cat Grant, the acknowledged “Queen of all Media,” had burned through assistants the way most people mowed through potato chips. Kara had had a few missteps in her first few months with Cat, but the two had formed a bond. Kara was at Cat’s side throughout the day, always certain to anticipate Cat’s needs before the CEO even knew what she needed, and Cat called Kara every name except her own. 

After the first six months, Cat seemed to settle on calling Kara a few different names, but mostly just Keira. It was almost like a nickname, something just for the two of them. Kara loved the way Cat’s tone might sound snide to anyone witnessing it, but Kara could see the tiniest hint of a smirk. She lived for that smirk.

They had grown closer after the appearance of Supergirl. Sometimes Kara thought that Cat must know that Keira and Supergirl were the same woman. Other times, Kara was too caught up basking in the thrill having Cat mentor her.

Mentor. That was the word Kara had to keep reminding herself to use. When Cat dragged Kara to the local bar to discuss the finer points of navigating her emotions at work, Cat had been _mentoring_ her. If Kara’s stomach had insisted on fluttering every time Cat had stared into her eyes, well, that was just another emotion to wrestle under her control.

The problem was, the emotion Kara fought so hard to control wasn’t anger, or pride, or even joy. It was decidedly romantic. And there was no mentor for navigating the typhoon of emotions that overwhelmed Kara’s heart every single day she stood at Cat’s side.

But, ever the perfect assistant, Kara dealt with it. She could mask her affection as mere admiration of the Queen. She could remind herself that she would have been married off to a stranger if Krypton had not been destroyed. Her marriage would have been little more than a business agreement between houses. Love wouldn’t have entered into the equation. Love wasn’t even the goal of marriage on Krypton. It was either an alliance with a stronger house, or it was used to mend a fragile relationship with a rival.

But Kara wasn’t on Krypton. She was twenty-six years old, minus the 26 years she’d floated in the Phantom zone outside of normal time. Every day that passed on Earth, Kara marked in her mind as one more day she had lived longer on a foreign world than she had on her lost planet, one more day under a sun that was the wrong color.

~SC~SC~SC~

Kara stared into Cat Grant’s office and it took all of her considerable Kryptonian skills to stop herself from melting the iPad in Siobhan Smyth’s hand. Siobhan had a bored expression as she listened to Cat rattle off the plan for the day. So, instead of using her Kryptonian gifts to flambé Siobhan, Kara listened to Cat’s list of needs and memorized them so that even if Siobhan got the credit, Cat would be not be disappointed.

Cat had hired Siobhan Smythe after a series of ‘disappointments’ with Kara. Of course, the fact Kara couldn’t explain to Cat that it was her Supergirl activity that caused all the ‘disappointments’ made things exponentially worse. Kara was almost certain Cat knew the huge red and blue secret, despite all of Kara’s insistence that she wasn’t Supergirl. The denials seemed to stoke Cat’s rage. The one thing Cat hated most was a lie. Kara’s entire life on Earth was a library of lies.

Siobhan returned to her desk with her smug smirk firmly in place. “Once again, you get to spend the day organizing meaningless paperwork while I get to make new contacts.” The brunette treated her job as a ridiculous waste of time on the ladder to her own future media empire. The only thing about the position Siobhan enjoyed was tormenting Kara. She snickered as she handed Kara a Post-it note.

Kara looked down and barely kept her plastered-on smile in place. The note was in Cat’s neat block print - _‘Catalogue all unusual events that were not headline material from 1990 through 2005.’_

“Have fun,” Siobhan said with a cruel sneer. “I’ll be sitting in on a board meeting.”

It took all of Kara’s considerable will to stop herself from using a burst of icy breath to freeze Siobhan’s shoes to the floor. The knowledge that Susie from environmental services would have to remove the water from the carpet was the deciding factor.

~SC~SC~SC~

Kara spent the day wading through back issues of the Tribune. She found one tiny story from 2001 and knew she had found exactly the kind of story Cat wanted.

She sighed as she read a brief description of a single-vehicle accident on the Pacific Coast Highway. The driver, a nanny, had lost control of the SUV she was driving and the vehicle had rolled over. Nothing out of the ordinary except for the fact that the driver had insisted that she and the infant she was caring for had been single-handedly rescued by “a tiny wisp of a girl,” and that “the child just ran off.”

Kara did not include that article in the stack she printed off for Cat. There was no way Cat wouldn’t connect a story of a super child from Midvale with Kara Danvers. So, after a lunchtime rescue of some firemen on the roof of a building, Kara returned to work and stayed late to complete the project. It was after nine when she finished and she made a quick trip to her locker to eat a bag of Oreos to give her the emotional lift she needed to force herself to venture into Cat’s empty office. Her stomach full of sugary goodness, she hurried to Cat’s office to leave the considerable stack on the CEO’s desk. What she found in the office left Kara stunned.

Kara ground her teeth together and let out a tiny growl. Siobhan Fucking Smythe was standing at Cat’s desk. The CEO was nowhere to be seen, and Siobhan was gathering a few files. What made Kara’s blood boil was the fact that Siobhan Fucking Smythe was wearing one of Cat’s outfits.

Anger – no – _blinding rage_ filled Kara. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Kara said as she rushed into the office.

Siobhan rolled her eyes so she missed the flash of red that danced across the skin of Kara’s face. “I’m doing exactly what Cat asked me to do,” Siobhan said snidely.

“Oh?” Kara demanded. “Did Miss Grant ask you to wear her outfit?”

Siobhan’s smile widened. “Oh, you noticed?” She laughed cruelly. “My clothes were in a bit of disarray after Cat and I… well, I don’t have to tell you,” she added dramatically. “I mean, now that I know the _perks_ of this… _position_… I understand why you stayed.” She raised her eyebrows. “I had no idea. But, of course, _you_ must know that Cat is insatiable in the sack.”

Kara’s eyes widened.

“Oh, but you didn’t know, did you?” Siobhan laughed triumphantly. “Cat sent me to pick a few things up for tomorrow and she thought it best that I didn’t show up…what was it she said?” Siobhan watched as Kara’s face filled with rage. “Oh, yes. _‘It won’t do to have someone notice you slinking back to the office after leaving with me, looking like your clothes have been torn off - especially since it’s true.’_”

Kara moved toward Siobhan, fully intending to rip the smile and the clothes off Siobhan’s stupid body. She was debating whether she would leave her in her underwear or throw her off the balcony naked when Alex called her name through the DEO earpiece.

“Not now, Alex,” Kara growled.

“Can’t even get my name correct?” Siobhan taunted.

Alex’s reply overlapped Siobhan’s. “Yes, now. That armored car we’re tracking is about to leave.”

Kara’s hands balled into fists as she glared at Siobhan. “This isn’t over.” She spun and hurried toward the stairwell.

“So dramatic,” Siobhan called out and then laughed.

As soon as the door to the stairwell closed, Kara focused on her sister. “What?” she demanded.

“Supergirl, we briefed you on this,” Alex said in a rush. She was getting concerned. Earlier in the day, Kara had been sullen and acted bored during the mission briefing. It wasn’t like her sister at all. “Why aren’t you in the air?”

“Because I’m not your pet Kryptonian,” Kara practically snarled. “Give me the damn address.”

“Whoa,” Alex said, now even more worried about her sister’s wellbeing. “What’s going on there?”

“Just give me the fucking address so I can get back to my pathetic so-called life.” Kara did a super-speed change into her suit. “Well?” she demanded.

Alex gave her the address and wondered again what was going on with her sister.

Less than a minute later, Kara landed so hard the pavement shattered like glass. She sighed, already bored as she glared at an overly muscled man in dark leather with scars on his face and a metallic implant over his left eye.

“You!” he snarled. “Your mother…”

“Yes, she sent you to Fort Rozz - blah blah blah…” Kara mocked him like a petulant child. “Can we just get to the part where I kick your ass?”

The man growled and leaped high into the air, leapfrogging over three buildings.

Kara flew after him, landing in front of him in an alley a few blocks over.

“You will die,” the man said with a maniacal grin. He rushed at her.

Kara fought without holding back. Her first punch slammed him into a brick wall that crumbled.

“Ugh! Bor-ring!” she said as she used super-speed to rush to his side and grab him by the throat. She threw him across the alley into the opposite brick wall. “At least pretend you know what you’re doing,” she taunted.

He ran at her, but she kicked him between the legs and sent him twenty feet into the air even as he curled into a ball. He landed in a heap, still curled in the fetal position.

Kara let out a disgusted sigh. “You’re pathetic!” She picked him up by the throat and punched him in the face with her full strength and speed, the blows landing in a blur. She dropped him to the ground and used the toe of her boot to flip him onto his back. His face was a bloody, pulpy mess and the implant was torn away, barely hanging from a bit of skin.

Alex rounded the corner and saw the man. “Supergirl?” Alex was shocked. She knelt and pressed her fingers under his jaw. She exhaled in relief when she felt a weak, thready pulse. “Jesus! Look what you did to him!”

Kara glanced at him, scrunched her eyebrows together, and then shrugged. “Honestly, it’s an improvement.” She laughed until she snorted.

Alex keyed open the mic at her shoulder. “We need medical in the alley two streets over to the west.” She was staring at Kara as the superhero brushed brick dust off her arm. “Supergirl, what the hell happened?”

“I caught him.” Kara rolled her eyes and sighed, looking more like a high school mean girl than a hero. She glared at Alex. “Next time, maybe don’t waste my time with an inept idiot that a small Girl Scout troop could catch with their macramé skills and a box of cookies.” Her gaze hardened as she studied Alex. “Pathetic,” she said. She crouched and then shot into the sky, causing a sonic boom.

~SC~SC~SC~

Kara flew blindly through the night sky. Her thoughts lingered on her argument with Siobhan, and then with Alex. Part of Kara’s mind whispered reasonable excuses for Siobhan to be in Cat’s clothes, but a stronger part of her pushed her toward a darkness she rarely acknowledged.

She pictured the scene at the office and details fell into place. Siobhan hadn’t just worn Cat’s outfit. Cat’s scent was all over the brunette.

Then Kara thought of Alex, and again her thoughts warred within her. The weaker voice reminded Kara that Alex had always been there for her, but the darker voice suggested that Alex was simply using Kara as her enforcer, calling Kara to clean up the messes the DEO couldn’t handle without risking agents being hurt or killed. Then those dark thoughts gave voice to Kara’s greatest fears.

Kara knew the teenaged Alex had not wanted an alien sister. After seeing grown-up Alex work with the DEO, Kara knew her sister was a woman driven by honor and duty. As a teen, Alex had wanted to be a doctor. Kara took a deep breath and felt tears forming. The tears were stripped away before they had a chance to fall as she flew. She knew she had ruined Alex’s life, Eliza’s too. And Jeremiah…

She’d caused his death.

Kara increased her speed.

Kara flew west, thinking it might make her feel better if she could up to catch up with the sun. She was sobbing as she shot through the sky. She could see the Milky Way easily now, so far out in the ocean with no lights to interfere. She thought of Astra, her body sealed in an escape pod from Fort Rozz as a makeshift casket. Astra, who should be going into Rao’s light, but was instead somewhere in space on a futile journey because the beautiful red light of Rao was gone forever. She added another death to her list of failures.

She was still lost in morose thoughts as she flew over a cluster of lights far below. The Hawaiian Islands. She played over every one of her failures. If she had only left on time, but no, she had been weak. She had wanted one more hug from her mother, and that childish need was enough to cause her to get knocked off course and lost in the Phantom Zone. The last request her parents gave her was to raise Kal El, and she’d failed before her pod had even left orbit.

She reached down to rip the crest of her House from her chest, continuing west as the yellow and red fabric drifted toward the sea. 

Eventually, the sky began to lighten, and she could make out Indonesia and Thailand hundreds of miles in the distance. She angled southwest toward Australia, wanting to see some kangaroos. The sun filled her senses as she paused over a deserted area of the outback. For a brief moment, she smiled as the marsupials hopped across the dry plains as a group. She thought of Carter and how seeing the animals would make him laugh, and then she remembered almost getting him killed - another failure.

She increased her speed and altitude and sped west again. She slowed as she approached Madagascar. She hovered above the tree line and watched a troupe of lemurs, smiling as she watched the prosimians frolic. She had always loved lemurs. But a distant memory caused her to let out an anguished sob.

Kara remembered getting her first pet when she had reached her fourth name day back on Krypton. It was called a lumir. It looked like an octopus on the bottom half, though it only had six legs, and a monkey with two arms and long pointed ears on top. Its green and blue mottled skin was smooth and hairless. Kara had named the animal Ampar, which roughly translated to captain or commander. Ampar had been a gift from Astra.

Tears slid off of Kara’s cheeks as she flew high into the troposphere. Her tears continued as she flew higher and once she reached the stratosphere, her tears froze as soon as they formed. They fell like pear-shaped diamonds.

She headed northwest at a breakneck pace and caught up with the sun at its apex as she crossed Angola and then the Western Sahara as she left the continent behind.

The sun was high overhead when Kara left sonic booms in her wake as she met the East Coast near Metropolis. She considered stopping to see Kal El, but decided he wasn’t worth her time. He had been her entire reason to live when she’d left Krypton. When she’d arrived on Earth, though, she’d meant nothing to him. She was just a problem to be solved, and the Danvers were the easiest solution. Once he’d left her behind, he had only seen her twice, and only out of obligation.

No, Kal El was family in name only. He was human as far as Kara was concerned. Kal El had died the day he landed on Earth and became Clark Kent. Kara Zor El was the last member of her House. She took the name Danvers for her own safety. She’d been on Earth for 14 years, and during that time, the only thing she’d been able to cling to was one half of her name, Kara, for the goddess of beauty.

Kara let out wounded scream. Cat Grant had taken away that last bit of her legacy by refusing to call Kara by her name. “Well, two can play at that game,” Kara whispered as the need to get rid of her own pain surged to the forefront. “It’s time _Kitty_ sees what she’ll be missing.”

She did a loop and headed back toward Metropolis. CATCO had dozens of branches around the globe. The small office in Metropolis had been opened mainly to piss off Lois Lane, but the staff had shined. They focused on in-depth stories that had global implications and those stories ran in CATCO newspapers around the world. The satellite office had a wall full of awards, and Cat visited whenever she was in town. That meant that Kara visited as well.

Kara made her way to the CATCO office and landed on the roof without being seen. She was adept at using her super-speed to avoid even the best security cameras. Once she’d snapped the lock on the door to the stairwell, she sped unseen to a locker she kept in one of the executive bathroom suites. She kept several changes of clothes at many CATCO offices, along with spare glasses. Kara always made sure she had back up outfits in case any food-related emergencies happened, like the Barbeque Sauce Incident of 2014, and in case a Supergirl emergency destroyed her clothing.

As soon as she had the clothes, Kara sped out of the building without anyone noticing. Kara then flew to the highest building and stashed her supersuit and boots where not even Superman could find them. After that, Kara Danvers went shopping.

Kara kept a credit card and an extra ID in her left boot. The card had only been used twice before. Both times had been late-night doughnut emergencies.

She was at the Metropolis Barney’s when they unlocked the door to open and maxed out her credit card within 30 minutes. That card had a $12,000 limit. She gathered up her new dresses and shoes, slipped back into her supersuit, and then shot toward National City on the west coast. She wanted Cat Grant to know what she was missing, and then, Kara was going to show Cat what true power was.

~SC~SC~SC~

Kara arrived back National City in time to change clothes in her apartment, put on makeup as if she was heading to a trendy night club, and still managed to get to work an hour before she usually did. She made sure to fetch Cat’s latte and when Cat came out of the elevator, she placed the cup into her boss’ hand and spun to return to her desk.

Cat took the cup as she looked at Kara’s skin-tight black and white dress. “Keira, look at you, dressed like an adult.”

Kara ignored the comment, but as she turned to her desk to grab a paper, she made certain she bent at the waist, allowing Cat a good view of what she could have had. When Kara turned, she smirked when she saw that Cat’s eyes had been firmly locked on her ass. “A list of replacements for Lucy Lane.” She handed the sheet of paper over.

Siobhan let out a little huff and hurried to retrieve the list she had gotten off of LinkedIn the night before.

Kara’s eyes were devoid of any kindness and her expression held an unspoken challenge. “I already checked their references and ranked them according to who you’ll find least annoying.”

Cat started to speak but Kara held her hand up to silence the CEO. “There are asterisks next to the two Republicans - reformed, of course.” She sat at her desk and began sorting through a pile of filing Siobhan had placed there.

“Brazen,” Cat said with a smirk. “Well, that deserves a reward…” She reached into her purse.

“Keep it,” Kara said as she glared at the pile on her desk. “I have everything I need.” She stood and picked up her small purse, crossing in front of Cat before walking into her office.

Cat followed, but she began to frown. She closed the door, not liking where the conversation was going. She moved to her desk and sat. “You’ve leapt over brazen and are heading into impertinence, Keira.” She dangled her sunglasses in one hand and pursed her lips.

Kara narrowed her eyes as she spun to face the CEO. “My name is Kara,” she said harshly. “I’d think a Media Queen could manage two syllables, Kitty.” She stressed the two syllables in Cat’s most despised nickname.

Even as Cat’s eyes widened, Kara reached into her purse.

“You are on thin ice…” Cat began.

“Bad Kitty,” Kara said as she pulled a small spray bottle from her purse and squirted Cat squarely in the face. “The adult is talking.” She edged closer. “It’s pathetic really,” Kara said in a cold, callous tone. “I thought you were the very best this world could do.” She rolled her eyes. “You’re nothing but a cliché.”

Cat’s anger shifted to concern. This was not Kara Danvers. She started to speak but another spritz of cold water shocked her into silence.

Kara paced. “I mean, really, Kitty?” she laughed darkly at Cat. “Fucking the new assistant?” She looked at Cat over the top of her glasses. “I guess she’ll be getting her new…_position_…as on-air _talent_.”

Cat’s eyes quickly looked to Siobhan who was staring into Cat’s office with an expression of abject glee. Cat would deal with Siobhan later. At the moment, she was too worried about Kara. “Kara, I don’t know why you-“

“Bad Kitty!” Kara hit Cat with another blast of water. “Your flavor of the week told me all about it when she came back to the office last night,” she said in a bored tone.

Cat stood and hurried onto the balcony even as Kara shot another round of water at her. As furious as Cat was, she was now extremely concerned. Something was terribly wrong with Kara. “Are you drunk?” she asked when Kara closed the balcony door and joined her.

“I am talking,” Kara said in a dangerous tone. She moved closer until she was inches from Cat. “You always get my name wrong, and I was foolish enough to think it was playful nickname after all these years.” She shook her head and let out a disgusted sigh. “Clearly, you have worse taste in women than you do in men.”

Cat gentled her tone like she was talking to a wounded tiger. “Kara…”

“Too late,” Kara said with a malicious grin. She shook her head as she stalked closer, causing Cat to back against the wall of her own building. Kara leaned forward until her lips were almost against Cat’s ear. “You could have had it all,” she whispered. “The whole country knows you want Supergirl, and you’re clearly not above fucking your assistant.”

“I never-” Cat’s words faltered, and she let out a shocked gasp as Kara pressed against her body like a proverbial cat in heat.

Kara laughed as she backed away. “You know what true power is, Cat?” She gestured upwards, indicating the CATCO building. “Money, things, celebrity?” She shook her head. “No.” She moved to the edge of the balcony, so the back of her legs hit the rough stucco.

“Real power is deciding who lives or dies.” She rested a hand on the low wall. “All these years, I gave you _everything_ and still it wasn’t enough. All of our late-night talks… I thought you felt it, too. I would have given you the world, cherished you, given you love and devotion that this planet has never seen, but no. You’d rather fuck Siobhan.”

Cat shook her head. “No, Kara…” The words died on her lips as Kara’s eyes filled with rage.

“It’s my own fault,” Kara continued harshly. “I should have realized that you’re not worthy of my love.” She smiled sweetly, almost a Sunny Danvers smile. “I hold the real power. Life or death,” she said sweetly as she stepped onto the low wall and faced Cat like an Olympic diver.

“Don’t do it, Kara, please,” Cat begged, clearly misunderstanding what was about to happen.

“Pul-lease,” Kara said with a chuckle. “You’re not worth my time, let alone my life,” she whispered as if sharing a secret joke. “All these peons… they’re nothing more than insects compared to me.” Kara swung her hand toward the city. “I am a god!” she snarled. She turned and looked at Cat with a sneer. “You humans never worry about squashing a few bugs. Why should I?” She smiled as she watched the realization transform Cat’s expression.

Kara stepped off the half-wall toward Cat and floated, giving the appearance that she was walking down an invisible set of stairs toward her boss. She stepped onto the tile in front of Cat and when Cat started to speak, Kara pressed a finger over the CEO’s lips.

“You could have had this,” Kara said as she backed away and gestured toward herself. “I was yours for the taking.” Kara ran a hand down her own chest and across her belly. “Supergirl _and_ the assistant.” She laughed cruelly. “But, no. Your little indiscretion with ‘assistant number one’ showed me that I was a fool to ever love you. _You… Are... Beneath… Me._ All of you _pathetic_ _humans_ are.” She laughed, but it was a cold, sinister sound, with none of the light, happy musicality of Kara’s normal laugh. “You’re the most pathetic of all, Kitty.” She headed toward the door but then paused to look at Cat. “Oh, yeah… I quit,” she said with a wink. “I guess you kind of knew that.”

She marched through Cat’s office and paused at Siobhan’s desk. “Watch your back, assistant number one. I’m not done with you yet.” Kara laughed as she went to Cat’s private elevator and as she looked back at Siobhan’s grinning expression, she waved.

Kara had already left a program running that would delete Siobhan from all CATCO computer access as well as remove her from the payroll programs.

Cat stood frozen in place. There were too many thoughts warring for dominance. _‘Kara is Supergirl, which I clearly suspected. Kara thinks I slept with Siobhan. Obviously, Siobhan must have told Kara that to upset her.’ _Cat sighed as she looked at the elevator, willing Kara to come back. _‘Kara is in love with me.’ _

Cat closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, so overwhelmed she couldn’t even think of her first course of action. The choice hit her like a freight train. She needed to call Alex Danvers because something was dangerously wrong with Kara.

Alex’s phone rang with a ringtone that told her the call had been forwarded from her civilian cellphone. She looked down and saw the name Cat Grant. It froze Alex in place as cold fear spread down her like a rush of freezing sleet from above. “Hello,” she said when she answered on the third ring.

“Miss Danvers, it’s Cat Grant. I’m calling because I am extremely concerned about Kara.” Cat paused as she tried to decide how to best impart the severity of the situation. “More so because she casually verified my theory about her rather _unique ancestry_.”

Alex closed her eyes and sighed. “Did anyone else hear?”

“No,” Cat said. “But she displayed her most obvious skill on my balcony.”

“Thank you,” Alex said with relief. She had already backtracked Kara’s change in behavior to the roof fire, had discovered a synthetic form of red kryptonite amongst the debris, and had called Clark. She now knew that it removed any inhibitions and would push Kara toward her darkest thoughts and impulses. The fact that Kara was not responding to any calls confirmed the transformation had begun.

Cat gripped her phone so tightly the case creaked. “She’s not herself. She’s… mean-spirited and aggressive, but it’s more like she’s a wounded animal lashing out.”

Alex took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Did she hurt you?”

Cat took a deep breath and sighed. “Not physically,” Cat said quietly.

Alex sighed and cleared her throat. “No one else saw?”

“Just me,” Cat explained. “But whatever is wrong with her… she’s… she’s not Kara.” Cat’s voice cracked. “She was cruel and intentionally hurtful.”

“I’m sorry,” Alex said quietly. She knew Kara was nursing a world-class crush on her boss, which was unrequited. “She’s been exposed to a dangerous chemical and it altered her brain chemistry. You’re right; she’s not herself.”

“What are you doing about it?” Cat demanded. “Is she in any physical danger? Can you reverse it?”

Alex allowed a hint of a smile to cross her lips. Maybe Kara’s crush wasn’t as unrequited as she thought. “We’ve got the compound and we’re working on a way to reverse the effects,” Alex explained.

“Hurry,” Cat said hoarsely. “She’ll never forgive herself if she injures someone.” Cat didn’t add that Kara’s words had caused wounds as surely as if Kara had flayed her with a knife. “Miss Danvers, Kara said some things about my second assistant that worry me. Kara looked like she wanted to tear Siobhan limb from limb…literally. You might want to put a security detail on her until _our_ Kara comes back.”

“Damn it! I should have thought of that,” Alex said angrily. “Hang on.” She covered the phone and called out to Vazquez. “Susan, get a tactical team to CATCO and have two agents with Kryptonite gear shadow Siobhan Smythe. She’s going to be a diva about it. If she’s too difficult, tranq the bitch and lock her in a cell.”

Cat would have smiled under less urgent conditions. Clearly, Kara had complained about Siobhan. At the moment, Cat was actually frightened for the conniving young woman. “I take it your sister has mentioned Miss Smythe?”

“Yeah,” Alex said she ran through the hallway toward the vehicle bay. “And she usually mentions wanting to toss her into space.”

“Tell your team to hurry,” Cat said quietly. “Miss Smythe taunted Kara with a vile lie. Kara thinks that I slept with Siobhan, which obviously did not happen.”

“Son of a bitch!” Alex paused and activated her earpiece. “Susan, double the team on that bitch Siobhan and take a chopper instead of ground transport.” She disconnected as soon as Vasquez responded. “You need to clean your damn house,” Alex said into her phone.

Cat’s eyes narrowed. “Trust me, I will. Unfortunately, with my only witness to Siobhan’s lies in the wind, I’m going to have to build my case carefully.” She took a deep breath and sighed. “Just find Kara and get her back to herself.”

“Yeah, thanks but no thanks for the advice.” Alex narrowed her eyes. “You shoved Siobhan into Kara’s face as a punishment for trying to help you.” She hurried toward her SUV. “All she ever wanted to do was make you happy. When this is over, you and I are going to have a little chat about petty, abusive behavior.”

“You can do your worst and it still wouldn’t be enough,” Cat admitted. “Just find her and make sure she’s safe.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Do I need to warn the public?”

There was a long pause before Alex spoke. “Not yet,” she said, her voice suddenly hoarse. “If it comes to that, I’ll contact you personally.”

*****

Kara was in her supersuit and flying over National City. Her mood was worsening with each passing minute.

She had responded to three different citizens calling out for Supergirl. The first was a woman whose car had run out of gas. The car was off the roadway and the woman was waiting for her AAA tow truck. When the woman asked Supergirl to carry her car to a specific gas station on the opposite side of town, Kara lost her temper. She gave the woman a blistering lecture about the systemic entitlement that came with privilege, and she threatened to deliver the car to the requested gas station, but she made it quite clear that she would place the car on the roof. She’d laced the lecture with well-placed profanity.

An onlooker had posted cell phone video of the entire interaction.

Kara’s second response to an apparent emergency found a man in his twenties at the top of the highest tower of the bridge Kara had damaged when she rescued Alex’s plane, thus beginning her hero career. A group of the man’s friends was in a speed boat on the river below. They had picked up two of their friends who had base-jumped off of the same bridge tower already.

The man was clinging to the tower, clearly not qualified for the task and terrified to jump.

Kara had asked the man, “Exactly what do you expect me to do? I can’t make you grow the balls to jump.”

The man had already been in tears, and he then begged Kara to take him down to the boat where his friends were waiting.

Kara had been floating in the air as if standing. Her arms were crossed and she sported a petulant expression. She had sighed dramatically and told the man, “Fine,” and then shoved him off the bridge.

He screamed in terror.

Once the man deployed his parachute, Kara had floated alongside him and taunted, “Well, I guess I can make you grow a pair.”

That interaction had been recorded on three different GoPros.

The final interaction involved a police chase after a bank robbery. Kara took her time responding to the scene. She was busy trying three new ice cream flavors at a local creamery. When the chase sped past the creamery, Kara used super-speed to finish her snack and walked calmly out of the restaurant, sighing dramatically before she shot into the sky. She flew down the street so close to the pavement that she was able to wave at the police officers through their side window as she passed them.

From there she set off a sonic boom that shattered windows throughout the upscale shopping district. She sped past the getaway car, then stood in front of it in her ‘Supergirl stance.’

The driver had no time to even react. The car crumpled, and the driver and passenger were ejected through the windshield. Kara caught each of them midair and settled them onto the ground. The men were groaning in pain and covered in blood.

Kara let out another sigh and rolled her eyes. “If you can’t take a little pain, maybe next time rob a bank in someone else’s city, assholes.” She flew off just as the police arrived. Onlookers posted cell phone video before the ambulances arrived.

****

At CATCO, Cat had every senior staff member in the building buying up footage of Kara’s cruel behavior so that she could keep it off the air. Apparently, they had missed one.

Siobhan came into Cat’s office with a smug smirk as she sauntered alongside Cat’s desk. “Miss Grant, I have a scoop for you,” she said proudly. She handed Cat her tablet and hit play.

Cat stared down at footage of Kara stopping the bank robbers. She had already bought three videos of the event, but Siobhan’s appeared to be footage from inside one of the patrol cars in the pursuit. She looked up at Siobhan and schooled her expression to disinterest. “I already have that footage, and we will not be airing until we find out why Supergirl is acting out of character.” She slid the iPad to Siobhan without looking at her.

Siobhan’s eyes widened. “But this is the story of the year! This is career-making.”

Cat stood and leaned forward with both hands splayed on her desk as she gave Siobhan a withering glare. “Running that footage without all the facts would be career-ending.”

Siobhan stiffened her stance in shock. “But…”

Cat held up a single finger, silencing Siobhan with an intense, focused, icy stare. “Printing information without all of the facts is reckless and dangerous.” Her tone was as glacial as her expression. “The only thing I hate more than that is a lie.” She took a deep breath as she studied Siobhan. “The first will get you fired.” She met the younger woman’s gaze, deeply satisfied to see that Siobhan was terrified. “The second will get you fired and black-balled in every outlet I where I hold influence.”

Siobhan swallowed with an audible gulp.

Cat glared as she stood. “Given the considerable reach of my influence, people who lie to the public in my name, lie to me, or to my _most trusted staff_ tend to switch careers unless they want to report the weather from Antarctica.” Cat handed Siobhan the tablet. “I have reach there as well,” she added with a dangerous expression. “I just like the idea of them stuck at the end of the world.” She walked toward her balcony. “Out here,” she said as she opened the sliding glass door.

“Am I fired?” Siobhan asked as she stood still as a statue.

Cat turned and face Siobhan with the most pleasant smile she could muster. “Have you lied to me?”

Siobhan shook her head so quickly her hair flipped from side to side.

“Hmm,” Cat tapped one finger on her lip as she pretended to consider the question, then her eyes locked onto Siobhan’s. “Have you lied to anyone I trust …with… my… life?”

Siobhan swallowed hard. “Kara Danvers is the liar,” she insisted. “I mean, look at the way she treated you! Clearly, you fired her, so you can’t trust a word she says.”

“Oh,” Cat said casually. “So you _didn’t_ tell the woman who has saved my company on _more _than one occasion that you and I slept together?”

Siobhan laughed. “Of course not. “She’s delusional, Miss Grant. I think she’s the one who wants to sleep with you. She’s projecting.”

“I see,” Cat said calmly. “So you didn’t see Kara last night while you were dressed in my clothing and tell her you’d just left a tryst with me?”

“I would never!” Siobhan said indignantly.

Cat let out a disgusted sigh. “I have security cameras in every office in the building.” She watched Siobhan pale. “I saw you in the outfit I asked you to take to the dry cleaners. I also saw Kara’s reaction.”

“I… I… Okay, I tried on the outfit. I was taking it to the dry cleaners anyway, but that crazy bitch came up with her own delusional theory.” Siobhan’s shoulders relaxed slightly. She was impressed with her own explanation.

Cat was not.

“You’re fired,” Cat said. “If you’re out of my building within the next three minutes, I won’t call security.” She spun and went to look off of her balcony.

Siobhan’s expression darkened and her hands shook. “You can’t fire me!” she rushed onto the balcony. “I’ll tell the world that you’ve been hiding negative stories about Supergirl! Perry White is interested in the footage I have,” she added with a laugh. “He’ll destroy you.”

“You really are ridiculously ill-informed.” Cat reached up and rubbed her forehead and then shook her head. She poured herself a drink and took a large swallow. “Perry and I have an agreement. We encourage any employees trying to sell stories to the other’s rival. Once the ‘deal’ is made, we hand all of the correspondence to the other.”

“No,” Siobhan said as she shook her head. “You’re bluffing.”

Cat quickly dialed her phone. “I need a former employee removed from my balcony immediately.” She hung up as soon as the security office acknowledged the order. “It goes without saying - though I’ll go ahead and say it since you seem too dim to comprehend the situation - you are fired and there won’t be a paper in the world willing to hire you.”

“You bitch!” Siobhan yelled. She rushed at Cat. “I should shove you off your own damn building!”

Cat’s heart rate spiked as she moved away from the edge of the balcony. “You’re only making this worse.”

“It can’t get any worse,” Siobhan yelled. “You ruined my life!” She shook with rage. “She ruined my life!” she added. “I’ll kill your precious Keira,” she added with a deranged laugh.

“Kara!” Cat yelled. “Her name is Kara! And she is a hundred times better a person than you will ever be.” Cat glanced toward her office, but security was nowhere in sight.

“Then you can be together in death.” Siobhan rushed toward Cat and grabbed her by both arms. She yanked her toward the edge of the balcony.

The next moment, Cat staggered as she was freed. Siobhan was simply no longer there. Her eyes widened as she saw why.

Supergirl had Siobhan by the neck. “You will never lay a finger on her again.” Her voice shook with rage and red lines danced across her face as the surge of red kryptonite intensified. Kara’s blue and red suit was gone, replaced by a formfitting black bodysuit that was more befitting a villain.

“Put me down, you pathetic lap dog,” Siobhan sneered.

“Fine,” Supergirl said with a grin. She flicked her wrist and tossed Siobhan off the balcony, laughing as Siobhan screamed.

“Kara, no!” Cat said desperately. “You don’t kill.”

Kara exhaled in disgust. Her breath sent a folder on Cat’s outdoor table fluttering to the floor. “Still protecting your lover?” She growled and dove off the side of the building. She shot down, catching up with Siobhan ten floors from the ground. She watched, enjoying the terror in Siobhan’s continued screams. She decided to wait and catch her enemy a few feet above the ground.

Siobhan’s screams mutated into a deafening screech.

Kara watched in shock as sound waves erupted from Siobhan’s mouth. The soundwaves rebounded from the sidewalk and hit Siobhan with enough force to slow her descent. That wasn’t normal. In fact, Kara was sure it wasn’t exactly human either.

Kara caught Siobhan and settled her onto the ground with more force than strictly necessary. “I know a lab that could use a new rat,” she said with a sinister leer.

Siobhan rolled onto the street and staggered to her feet. She faced Kara and blasted her with a deafening screech that knocked Kara backward into the building even as the windows behind her shattered.

Kara shook her head and bits of glass fell like rain. She rubbed her left ear and looked down and saw that her fingertips were wet with blood. She focused on Siobhan. “Maybe I won’t give you to the government.” She circled closer and was ready when Siobhan took a deep breath and then let out another sound blast that hit where Kara had just been.

“I know a billionaire with no scruples,” Kara taunted. “I’m sure he has scientists that would love to cut you open.”

“You fucking bitch,” Siobhan seethed.

“No?” Kara said with a calculated smirk. “Fine. I also know of an off-the-books government lab that loves experimenting on aliens and metahumans.”

Siobhan sent another blast at Kara. “Hold still,” she demanded. “Or I’ll just go back to the 40th floor and use my new skills on Cat.”

Kara’s eyes glowed red for a split second and then orange as they heated. “You won’t live long enough.”

A DEO SUV skidded to a stop on the street twenty feet away. Alex jumped out of the driver’s seat. She pulled a pulse rifle from behind her seat and aimed it at Kara. “Supergirl, you need to come in with us,” Alex yelled as she moved closer. She hit a button on the top of the rifle and it glowed green.

Kara glared at Alex. “What I _need_ to do is barbeque this screechy little bitch-whore!” She turned and took aim at Siobhan. Just as she started to fire she was hit by a burst of green light that knocked her to one side. Her heat vision missed Siobhan by centimeters.

Siobhan moved behind a long cement planter and sent a screech at Kara. She was getting better at aiming and her soundwave hit Kara with its full force.

Kara was blown backward. She dropped to one knee and covered her ears with both hands.

Alex changed course and reset her rifle for standard rounds. She fired two shots at the cement planter, showering Siobhan with two explosions of cement particles. “FBI, put your hands up,” she yelled.

Siobhan stopped her assault on Kara and focused on Alex. “I’m a little busy. Give me two minutes and National City will be free of this pathetic excuse for a super.”

Kara used the opportunity and stagger to her feet. Blood trickled down both sides of her neck from her ears, but she ignored it. Instead, she shot through the air at Siobhan as fast as she could. When she collided with Siobhan, Kara was shocked by how solid Siobhan was compared to how she’d been earlier. She slammed Siobhan against the building and then carried her into the sky, shattering windows along the way as she pressed Siobhan firmly against the building.

Kara held Siobhan from behind, and Siobhan couldn’t hit Kara with her sonic attack. Her face was smashing windows as they rose. Once they cleared the CATCO building, Kara made certain Siobhan couldn’t get a clear shot at her.

“Put me down right now!” Siobhan yelled over the sound of air rushing past them. “Let me go!” she demanded as they shot through clouds thousands of feet in the air.

Kara stopped in place and laughed. “Let you go?” She laughed again as Siobhan struggled. “Tell me what you are, and I’ll be happy to let you go.”

“I have no idea,” Siobhan answered harshly. “There. I gave you an answer. Let me go so I can finish off Cat Grant and then I’ll find that sniveling little tattletale, Kara Danvers.”

“Okay,” Kara said darkly. She shifted her hold on Siobhan and then shoved her away. “Just like I promised. I let you go!” she called out sweetly.

Siobhan screamed in terror as she plummeted toward the earth again.

Kara followed the panicked woman’s decent, reveling in the fear in her rival’s eyes. 

Siobhan shot a blast of sonic energy at Kara and then flailed her arms as the energy directed upwards at Kara caused Siobhan’s fall to increase in speed.

Siobhan was able to twist as she fell so she was facing the rapidly approaching ground. Her screech was better aimed so she slowed, but she was too close to the ground. Siobhan knew she was going to die even as she increased the volume of her screaming.

Two feet from the ground, Kara snatched Siobhan from certain death. She started to lift her back into the sky for another free-fall when she felt a sting in her neck. She spun around and her eyes immediately landed on the kryptonite dart gun in Alex’s hand. “You bitch,” she snarled. She flung Siobhan at Alex, and both women fell to the ground.

Alex shoved Siobhan away. “Get her into a pair of cuffs. And use one of the masks we use on the Darvish guy with the venom,” she told the nearest agent. She looked over at Kara. “Supergirl, please. Come back to the lab. You’re not yourself. We can help.” She edged closer. “I can help. We have the antidote.”

“The antidote?” Kara laughed maliciously. “Whatever this thing is that’s affecting me? It’s the antidote.”

“It’s red kryptonite,” Alex said desperately. “And it’s getting worse the longer we wait.”

“It’s getting better!” Kara’s smile morphed into a snarl when she saw Cat come rushing out of the building. “I can finally see the truth.” She lifted off the ground, but she was unsteady. She yanked the dart from her neck and dropped it to the ground and glared at Alex. “You never wanted a sister. You only took me in because you thought it was your duty.”

“No!” Alex shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I acted like a jerk when you arrived, but I love you. You are my sister and I won’t give up on you.” The kryptonite rifle dangled in one hand and her eyes pleaded with Kara to come back.

Kara's bored expression was her only reply. Then she looked at Cat and froze.

Cat rushed closer and opened her mouth so speak but then stopped as Kara fled toward the clouds.

Alex took aim and fired several special long-distance darts. Kara’s speed brought her into their path and all three hit Kara in the back.

Kara let out a wounded howl as she lost altitude. She spun and headed toward Alex even as she rushed toward the ground. She was feet away from crashing into Alex when an enormous green alien wearing black combat armor caught Kara and pushed her off course. The two aliens landed ten feet away and began to wrestle. Hank was stronger thanks to the darts Kara had been drugged with, but he needed to use his full strength to snap the glowing green handcuffs around Kara’s wrists.

Cat made her way to the struggle. “Where are you taking her?” she demanded. “This isn’t her fault. Your agent said she was poisoned. You can’t detain her for something that wasn’t her fault!”

Hank glowered at Cat, then spun toward Alex. “Deal with her, Agent,” he ordered. He watched as Kara passed out on the ground. “I’m getting Supergirl to the doctors as fast as I can.” He carefully lifted Kara into his arms and then leapt into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.

Alex glanced at Cat, then back at the ground. “You were supposed to call me if she showed up.”

“I didn’t have time,” Cat said angrily. “Where were those guards you had watching Siobhan? And why the hell didn’t they step in when she tried to murder me?”

Alex’s head snapped toward Cat. The CEO now had her full attention. “Siobhan attacked you?”

“Do try to keep up, Agent.” Cat rubbed the bicep on her left arm.

Alex moved closer, her keen eyes searching for injuries. She saw a small set of bruises were forming around Cat’s right arm. “Are you alright?” Her gaze swiftly moved to Cat’s left arm, which she was rubbing with her right hand.

“Oh, please.” Cat rolled her eyes. “If I’m not fending off murderous ex-employees at least once a month, HR calls to ask if I’m feeling under the weather.”

Alex smiled despite her concern for Kara. “Let me look at that,” she said quietly. She stepped closer only after Cat gave a micro nod of consent.

Cat watched as Alex took her forearm with surprising gentleness. Then she flinched when Alex ran her fingers over the dark bruises on the right bicep. The bruises matched the shape of Siobhan’s hand.

Alex released Cat’s right arm and moved to the left. She checked it in the same efficient manner. “I don’t think anything is broken,” Alex said quietly. “I’d still like to get a set of x-rays.”

Cat smirked with false bravado. “Is that your medical opinion, Agent Danvers?”

“Yes,” Alex said firmly. “You can accurately address me as Agent Danvers, Assistant Director Danvers, or Dr. Danvers.” She raised one eyebrow in challenge. “Any or all are accurate.”

Cat was impressed but hid it well. “Will these x-rays be taken at the same place that creature in the hideous outfit took our… uh, Supergirl?”

“Yes,” Alex said. “You’ll have to sign a stack of NDAs on the way there, though.”

“Fine,” Cat said as if the entire thing was her idea. “Well, let’s move it.” She marched toward the SUV Alex had been driving when she arrived. “Come on, we don’t have time for you to dilly dally all day, Doctor.”

Alex cleared her throat as Cat continued toward the large, black Suburban.

Cat stopped and turned back with a scathing glare that made Alex want to jump to attention, but she didn’t let that show. “I have to supervise the administration of the antidote.” She pointed at the helicopter twenty yards away that was firing up its engines.

Cat didn’t even blink. She turned and trotted to the gunship with her head ducked low as if she hopped onto military gunships every day.

Once they were both in the helicopter and buckled into place, Cat turned toward Alex and keyed the microphone attached to her headphones. “Are we pretending we did not see that green monstrosity wearing a black combat suit with what I can only guess is a red, mid-80s clip-art of a gingerbread man juggling?”

Alex’s jaw dropped.

“Honestly, you people need to use professionals for these hero-suits.” Cat looked out the window as they sped toward whatever secret location the green alien had taken Kara, then added, “The red completely clashed with his green skin.” She shook her head. “I suppose he’s a Martian?”

Alex wasn’t about to verify that guess, so she changed the subject. “Kara told me you were afraid of heights and that you refuse to fly in helicopters.”

Cat looked down at her hands and tried to will them to stop shaking. She exhaled and looked across the confined space into Alex’s eyes.

“During the first Gulf War, I was on assignment on a US Navy frigate. They got a call from one of their LCACs,” Cat said quietly. She raised an eyebrow at Alex.

Alex smiled. “Landing Craft Air Cushions. Basically a hovercraft,” she answered.

Cat nodded. “They were testing it for an upcoming night mission and it hit some debris. It knocked out two of the four engines, which slowed it considerably. Since it was more of a baby-sitting mission, the team let me go with them in a Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk.”

Alex smiled. “Sweet ride.”

“It was,” Cat said almost wistfully, then her expression darkened. “Right up until a fishing boat launched a SAM at us, which ripped through part of the tail. We hit the water hard, and if it wasn’t for an airman horribly misnamed 'Lucky,' I would have drowned. He broke his shoulder in the crash, but he still was able to drag me to the surface.” She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths and then opened her eyes. “I never felt so helpless in my life. It was a moonless night and we dropped into a black sea. The pilot was able to keep us upright, which saved all of our lives, but the water washed over us before I realized we’d touched down.”

Alex saw the raw emotion in Cat’s eyes. “I can see why you hate to fly.” She leaned forward. “You do realize that this is a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, right?” She knew the helicopter hadn’t changed much in two decades, and, though there were minor differences, the Black Hawk and the Seahawk were clearly the same helicopter with minor alterations.

Cat shuddered. “Of that, I am _infinitely_ aware.”

Alex leaned forward. “So why did you climb into this as if your life depended on it?”

“I may hate helicopters…” Cat locked her fierce gaze on Alex. “But I love your sister.” She shrugged. “I’d take a thousand flights for her without a second thought.”

“Thank you,” Alex said quietly.

They rode in silence after that, until they could see the base lights.

“You ever find out what became of that crew?” Alex asked.

“They all made it home.” Cat smiled. “Their children have children now, and CATCO will be sponsoring those grandchildren in college just like we did for the crew’s children. Lucky is now an RN at Bethesda.”

“Wow,” Alex whispered. Kara always told her that Cat had an amazing soft side and that she took care of people, but Alex had always been skeptical. She realized that she was finally seeing the Cat that Kara loved.

“Please,” Cat scoffed. “It’s a tax write-off.”

“Of course,” Alex said, smirking.

As soon as the pilot gave the all-clear, Alex hurried onto the tarmac. Cat was close behind. 

As they entered the main bunker, Alex gently put her hand at the small of Cat’s back to guide her. “I’m gonna’ trust that you’ll sign the stack of NDAs once Kara is back to normal.”

Cat nodded. She was pale, but her expression was calm and collected. It was her eyes that gave her away. Her hazel eyes darted from door to door, frantically seeking out Kara.

Alex paused at a massive steel door. “I can’t let you into the treatment area.”

Cat started to protest.

Alex held up a hand. “That’s non-negotiable. Not until I’m sure it safe.”

Cat swallowed hard and nodded. Frankly, she was amazed Alex hadn’t just left her at CATCO.

“Come on,” Alex whispered as she used her badge to unlock a door next to the treatment room. “You can wait in the observation room.” She led Cat through the door to a short entryway with three more reinforced doors. She opened the one on the right with her badge and guided Cat toward it. “Do not leave this room. If you do, there’s no way in hell my boss will let you stay.”

Cat nodded. “Will I be able to see her from inside?” Her voice was small and completely incongruent with the larger than life CEO.

“Yeah,” Alex promised. Once Cat was inside, Alex closed the door and used her badge to access the locked medical bay. What she saw hit her like a Kryptonian punch to the gut.

Kara was strapped to the DEO sunbed. They had discussed trying to use the simulated yellow sunlight to force the red kryptonite out of Kara’s system, but it was clearly not working. Kara was struggling against the glowing green kryptonite restraints and her face had shimmering red lines like sinister spider webs.

Alex approached the bed. “Kara, it’s gonna’ be okay, just stop fighting.”

“Stop fighting?” Kara snarled maliciously. “Come on, Alex, we both know that’s all you need from me.” Her eyes flashed the same red as the lines on her face. “You never wanted a sister. Going to work for the DEO was your way to get back at aliens since you couldn’t attack me.”

“That’s not you talking,” Alex said gently, though the words stung. “You’ve been exposed to red kryptonite.”

“Right.” Kara rolled her eyes. “Admit it, Alex. I’m just your loyal little attack dog. The pet you send in to fight enemies too dangerous for the humans. The pet that’s disposable because it isn’t human.”

“You need to fight the red K.” Alex shook her head as tears formed. “I know you don’t mean these things, Kara.”

“Don’t I?” Kara laughed. “We both know you wanted to be a real doctor. A doctor that treated humans. You resent me. Admit it!”

Alex looked down at Kara, her eyes filled with equal parts love and sorrow. “You are the best thing that ever came into my life. You are my sister and I love you, no matter what the red K makes you say.” She let out a relieved breath when she saw Dr. Hamilton enter the room carrying a tray with six 100-milliliter syringes, each filled with glowing green liquid.

Kara’s eyes widened when she saw the tray. “You love me so much you’re going to euthanize me with Kryptonite? Wow, no wonder you can’t find anyone to date. You think love is abuse.”

Cat put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from speaking. She was certain Kara could hear her even through the thick observation window.

Alex took one of the syringes and attached it to the IV tubing. Dr. Hamilton had already started an IV with a kryptonite-tipped needle. “I’m sorry, Kara,” she whispered. “This is gonna’ hurt.”

“You’ve been waiting your whole life to do this,” Kara snarled as she fought against the restraints.

“I know you don’t believe that,” Alex said as she slowly injected the kryptonite-laced antidote. The green kryptonite was needed to weaken the red kryptonite’s bonds with Kara’s cells.

Kara’s entire body stiffened, and then her body bowed, lifting her back off the table while her heels and shoulders pressed down so fiercely she dented the reinforced steel table. She screamed in agony as the green kryptonite ripped the synthetic red compound from every cell it touched. It was as if every cell was igniting one at a time in a brutal cascade of anguish.

Cat stood and pressed her palms to the glass. Tears ran down both cheeks. She was terrified the green antidote might kill Kara. She wanted nothing more in the world than to comfort her.

Once the first syringe was empty, Alex disconnected it.

Kara’s body slumped onto the table and she took in heavy gulps of air. The red lines on her face had dimmed but were still clearly visible. She saw Alex grab another syringe and gasped. “No, Alex, please! No more, Alex. I’m sorry! I’m so sorry.” Tears ran down Kara’s cheeks and her nose ran. “No!” she bellowed as Alex injected the second dose. “You fucking bitch! I knew you hated me!”

Alex’s hands shook as she continued the infusion. She cringed as Kara’s body arched again and ignored her sister’s desperate pleas to stop the pain.

Cat felt like every injection was entering her own bloodstream. Every time Kara screamed, or sobbed, or flinched, Cat felt gut-wrenching pain as she watched her precious Kara suffer. It was a thousand times worse than watching Kara battle a villain on TV.

By the fourth dose, Kara couldn’t even form words. Her screams and sobs overlapped. The red lines on her face were barely visible, but they were still there.

Kara was silent during the fifth dose and that terrified Cat more than the screams.

Alex watched as Kara’s entire body stiffened. Kara’s mouth opened as if to scream, but instead, she sucked in desperate gulps of air. When that dose finished, Kara went limp but continued gasping for air like a fish tossed on a boat deck, flailing helplessly as it died.

Alex’s hand was shaking so hard she couldn’t pick up the final syringe.

“I’ve got this,” Dr. Hamilton whispered. She glanced at the monitor and saw that Kara’s heart rate was 280. Resigned to finish this, she attached the dose and pushed it slowly. She watched the monitor because watching Kara was breaking her heart. As the last of the antidote was delivered, Kara’s heart rated spiked to 310 for an agonizing twelve seconds, but then finally began to slow. It was 190 when Hamilton disconnected the syringe and was dropping rapidly.

Kara’s eyes were closed and her body was limp. She was drenched in sweat, but her heart rate leveled off at 40, Kara's resting pulse rate.

Alex dragged a chair over and sat next to Kara, holding her still-restrained hand. After thirty minutes of alternating between watching Kara’s chest rise and fall and staring at the vital signs monitor, Alex rested her cheek on the table and let her eyes close.

Twenty minutes later, Kara’s hand twitched and Alex sat up with a jolt. “Kara?” she whispered.

Kara groaned and tried to move her arms. When the kryptonite cuffs bit into her wrists, she whimpered.

“Easy,” Alex whispered. “Take it slow.”

Kara’s eyes fluttered open and tears ran down her cheeks.

Alex’s smile was blinding. “I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere, Kar.”

“Did I kill anyone?” Kara asked. Sobs wracked her body.

“No,” Alex insisted. She ran her fingers through Kara’s hair.

“I was awful!”

Alex pushed the sunlamp away and took off the restraints. She pulled Kara into a hug. “Shh, it’s gonna be okay. I promise.”

“I didn’t mean anything I said!” Kara clung to her sister and began crying so hard she couldn’t speak.

Alex held Kara and her own heart broke for her broken sister. She felt her shirt soaking where Kara’s face was pressed against her.

After several minutes, Kara pulled away. “I threw Siobhan off a building! Oh, my god, I did it twice!” She looked at Alex with desperation. “Is she alive? Please tell me she’s alive.”

“She is,” Alex smirked. “Though she’s in a cell because she tried to kill you and Cat.”

Kara’s expression fell and she rolled back onto the bed, curling into a ball with her back to Alex. “I quit my job,” she cried. “I…was…a…mon-monster!” Then her cries dissolved into sustained weeping and she could barely take a breath.

Alex heard banging on the two-way mirror because - of course - Cat was watching. Alex tapped her earpiece. “Vazquez, bring in the visitor, please,” she whispered.

Alex rubbed Kara’s back but she wasn’t sure Kara even knew she was in the room.

Kara’s began hyperventilating. “Miss…Cat…Cat… I said… mean… monster…”

Vasquez, with one arm draped around her charge’s wisp-thin waist to steady her, led in an extremely pale Cat Grant. 

Cat looked like she’d been through the kryptonite treatment right alongside Kara. Her eyes locked onto Kara and she grasped at Vasquez’s tactical vest like a lifeline. As they approached, Cat released her death grip on the tac vest and stepped unsteadily to Kara’s bedside. She gripped the edge of the bed so tightly her knuckles went bone white.

Alex looked back and forth between Kara and Cat and she wasn’t sure which one needed her most. Just as she was about to offer a hand to Cat, Kara’s wails increased in volume again as she stuttered out, “Ca- Ca-Cat ha-ha-hates mm-me...”

Alex watched Cat take a deep breath and was stunned to see the older woman’s entire demeanor shift. The transformation was almost as shocking as watching Hank change into another form.

As Cat inhaled, she clenched her hands and then straightened them. As she exhaled, her entire frame relaxed and even her color improved. By the time she’d taken a second full breath, Cat stood unassisted and her hands had stopped shaking. She met Alex’s eyes and lifted her chin.

Alex pulled away from Kara so Cat could move closer.

“Al…ex?” Kara asked.

Alex rested a hand on Kara’s back. “It’s gonna be okay. I promise.” She moved away and then hurried from the room.

Cat gave Kara’s shoulder a gentle squeeze then drew her hand down to Kara’s hip. “I could never hate you, Kara,” she whispered.

Kara stiffened, then sat up and spun around, tossing her legs so they hung over the side of the bed. “Mi-Miss Grant?” Tears still ran down Kara’s cheeks but her shock at Cat’s presence momentarily stopped her sobs. “You’re here?”

Cat smiled as she reached out and cupped Kara’s cheek. “Where else would I be?” she asked, wiping away fresh tears with her thumb.

Kara was shell-shocked. “I am so sorry,” she blurted. “I’m a monster,” she whispered.

“No,” Cat said firmly. She lifted Kara’s chin with gentle fingers. “Oh, darling, all that red kryptonite did was make you act human for a day. I mean really, I’ve done far worse on my best day.”

Kara laughed but shook her head. She was about to argue when Cat moved closer, pressing between Kara’s knees.

Cat pulled the younger woman into a crushing hug. Kara’s brain short-circuited and all she could do was to lean into the embrace and whimper.

Cat let her weight settle into Kara’s strong arms. She drank in the contact in a way she had never allowed herself to before. “My beautiful Kara, I won’t let anyone denigrate you for what happened. Not even you.”

Kara sighed and scooted toward the edge of the bed. She pulled Cat even closer and rooted her nose along Cat’s neck so she could smell the amazing shampoo Cat always used. That reminded her of the way Siobhan had smelled - after sleeping with Cat. Siobhan - Cat’s lover - who Kara had tossed off a building. Twice. She moved to pull away, but Cat held her fast.

“Stay,” Cat said firmly. “I may not have a squirt gun, but I expect you to listen.”

“Oh my god!” Kara hid her face against Cat’s shoulder, mortified.

Cat eased Kara away just enough so she could lift her chin to make eye contact. “I did not sleep with Siobhan. I watched the security footage, Kara, and she came into the building in her own clothes. The outfit of mine she wore that night was one of several I was sending out to be dry-cleaned. She lied to you.”

Kara felt fresh tears bubble up from her chest. “The things I said to you,” she whispered. “I’m so-”

Cat pressed a perfectly manicured finger to Kara’s lips. “Your mind was altered. You had no impulse control and that red menace forced you to act on your darkest thoughts. Don’t you dare apologize.”

Kara’s lips pursed as she started to speak but the CEO interrupted her.

“No buts!” Cat insisted. “Kara, your darkest impulses were clearly tied to your fears that people only loved you because they had to, like with Alex, or on you not being worthy, like with me.” She shook her head. “If I was exposed to the red menace, and I had your powers? There would be smoking piles of ash in the office of every walking personification of white male privilege from here to Kathmandu.”

Kara smiled and rolled her eyes.

“That would have been before my first cup of coffee,” Cat admitted, grinning. “Just be glad I don’t live in Washington. There would be many empty seats in certain hallowed halls.”

“How do you do that?” Kara asked, her eyes filled with wonder. “Even after I told you those things about how I feel?”

Cat raised one eyebrow. “Well, darling, if you had stopped with the Cesar Millan impression long enough for me to respond, you would have found out.”

Kara rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t use a squirt bottle.”

“And just how would I know that?” Cat asked. “Do I strike you as the kind of woman who needs help getting anyone or any creature to do my bidding?”

“You do not,” said Kara, shaking her head.

“Did you mean it when she said you loved me?” Cat’s eyes locked on Kara’s.

“I… Well, the things I said after, that you weren’t good enough… I did not mean any of that.” Kara bit her lip.

“Deflection is not a good look on anyone, especially someone as inherently as moral as you are.” Cat cleared her throat.

“I’m so sorry,” Kara whispered. “I didn’t mean to let it happen. I told myself a million times that you could have anyone you wanted and there was no way someone like you would settle for someone like me, someone who’s so inexperienced and broken and who has nothing to offer-”

Cat once again placed an elegant finger on Kara’s lips. “Answer the question,” she urged gently. “You're safe with me.”

Kara nodded. She took Cat’s hand and cradled it, studying the delicate structure of her fingers. “I did, I mean, I do.” She looked into Cat’s eyes. “I never meant for it to happen, and I am so sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, but yes. I am in love with you.” She smiled and got a faraway look in her cobalt eyes. “It started the first day I worked for you, but I first recognized it the day of the dreaded Chipotle Incident.”

Cat groaned. “You’re an idiot.” She smacked Kara’s shoulder with her palm. “Didn’t you realize that was an instant termination offense?” She rolled her eyes. “Becky in HR called me when she heard that I hadn’t fired you. Do you know what she told me?”

Kara shook her head as she tried to figure out where the conversation was going because Cat’s comments made zero sense.

“She told me that it was about time I’d fallen for someone worthy of me.” Cat stared into Kara’s eyes. When she didn’t see any reaction, she continued. “And when you sent that letter to Adam and I didn’t fire you, do you know what she said to me then?”

Kara shook her head, eyes round.

“She said that she expected an invitation to the wedding because as soon as we both realized what fools we were being, we’d be shopping for rings.” Cat took a step back and put both hands on her hips. “Becky! Timid, mild-mannered _Becky_ from HR decided that since you had me wrapped around your gorgeous finger, she could just say something like that to me. Me!”

A smile spread across Kara’s face and light filled her eyes from within. “You think I’m gorgeous?”

Cat’s eyes widened. “That’s your takeaway, Gracie Lou Freebush?”

Kara snorted. “Wait, you’ve watched _Miss Congeniality_?”

“Still missing the point,” Cat growled playfully as she pressed between Kara’s knees.

Kara’s eyes widened. “You… Me… Us? You… You want there to be an… us?”

Cat smiled and ran both hands through Kara’s hair. “It’s a damn good thing I already love you because your conversational skills are rather lacking at the moment.”

“You love me?” Kara asked in a whisper. Her smile slowly grew until the corners of her eyes crinkled. “You want to love me? You want to kiss me?”

“Yes,” Cat sighed, accepting that she had now embraced the clichés of 1990s romcoms. “I do.” She leaned forward and pressed a chaste kiss to Kara’s lips. “I really do,” she added.

Kara wrapped her hands around Cat’s hips and pulled her closer. She leaned forward and gave Cat a soft kiss, and when she slid her tongue along Cat’s lips, Cat moaned and opened them to welcome her.

Then Kara wrapped her ankles around Cat’s ass to press the two of them even closer together.

The door to the hallway outside opened so fast it slammed against the wall.

“Hey!” Alex barked as she marched into the room. “I am on board with you two idiots finally realizing you’re head-over-heels for each other, but how about we wait until Kara has time to process her widely televised temper-tantrum-slash-rampage?”

Cat started to pull away, but Kara whimpered and used her legs to signal Cat that she was not nearly done yet.

Cat smiled into the kiss and ignored Alex.

“Excuse me, I am talking!” Alex said angrily.

Kara flapped a dismissive hand in Alex’s general direction.

“I will get the kryptonite right now, Kara.” Alex stood with both hands on her hips. “You need to debrief.”

Kara giggled into the kiss.

“Ew!” Alex said. “Fine. I’ll be right back with the kryptonite emitters.”

Cat pressed a hand to Kara’s chest and eased out of the kiss. Then she turned toward Alex. “Threaten her with kryptonite again and I will show you what a rampage looks like. And I won’t need radioactive poisoning to lose my temper.” She took a threatening step toward Alex.

“I was kidding.” Alex held up both hands. “About the kryptonite.” She crossed both arms over her chest. “But not about Kara needing some time.” She met Cat’s glare with one of her own. “Do you want to always wonder if Kara was doing this because she wanted it or if she was trying to push down her trauma?”

Cat sighed and looked back at Kara. “She has a point.”

“A stupid point!” Kara hopped off the bed and came to Cat’s side. “I feel great!”

“Really?” Alex asked. “Standing there in your emo-supersuit?”

Kara looked down and scowled.

“You want that to be what you remember about the two of you getting together?” Alex asked with a smug smirk.

“Fine,” Kara agreed. She looked at Cat. “I need a shower, a suit change, and apparently I have to talk with Dr. Nosey Parker about my feelings.”

Alex smiled. “His name is Dr. Drake and he _is_ the after-mission therapist.”

“How very modern of you,” Cat said scathingly. “And it never occurred to you or Dr. Nosey Parker that Kara should be treated for PTSD after she’d witnessed her the destruction of her entire civilization?”

“I, we…” Alex stammered. “I… will get right on that.” She spun and headed toward the door. “But you’re talking to him before you leave, Kara!” she added before slamming the door.

Kara turned back to Cat and her pupils were fully dilated. She leaned toward Cat and squeaked, irritated when Cat shook her head.

“Your sister is right,” Cat said drearily. “Get your shower and talk with Nosey Parker. I’ll wait for you.”

“It’s Doctor Nosey Parker,” Kara corrected. “And you probably shouldn’t wait.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Alex is right. I need to process what I did and _why_ I did it.” She looked into Cat’s eyes. “It would be so easy to just dive into this,” she said, pointing back and forth between the two of them. “But I won’t have us start out with me using you as a way to ignore my pain.” She took Cat’s hand. “You’re too important for that.”

“So are you,” Cat said quietly. “How about this: you stay as long as you need, then go have a sister night and do whatever it is you do…” She waved her hand as she spoke. “Braid your hair, bake cookies, watch rom coms…”

“That’s not really an insult because you clearly have seen at least one rom-com yourself,” Kara pointed out.

Cat flicked her wrist. “Whatever. Anyway, you take the night. Make sure you want this.” She shook her head when Kara started to interrupt. “I’ll call Carter and see how he feels about me dating someone seriously.”

Kara nodded. “Of course. I should have thought about that,” she said quickly. “Do you think he’ll be okay with me dating you?” Kara’s expression was hesitant.

“Okay?” Cat laughed. “Once he finds out it’s you, he’ll be planning our wedding.” She rolled her eyes. “He’s been telling me to ask you out at least twice a week since you made it an entire year with me.”

“You know I adore him, right?” Kara asked.

Cat nodded. “The feeling is mutual, I assure you.”

Kara beamed. “I can’t wait for the three of us to go out together!”

Cat’s eyes narrowed playfully. “I think I should get in a few solo dates first.”

“Definitely,” Kara agreed. She rushed forward and gave Cat a quick kiss on the cheek. “Call me before you go to sleep?”

“I will.” Cat rested a hand on Kara’s cheek. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Kara’s lips, but pulled away before either of them could escalate it.

As soon as the door closed behind Cat, Kara felt a weight crushing down on her. Her mind flashed through all she had done, and guilt threatened to swallow her whole. “Stupid Alex,” she grumbled as she headed for Dr. Drake’s office.

****

They didn’t get their first official date until six days later. Kara had taken long lunches all week so she could have sessions with Dr. Nosey Parker. It was awful and there were tears and lots of screaming, but Kara understood that it was necessary. On the sixth day, which was actually her eighth session because she had two daily sessions initially, Kara had a breakthrough.

She realized that the majority of her rage was directed at herself. The verbal attack on Alex had exposed Kara’s fears that her sister only loved her out of a sense of duty, and her diatribe about not being the DEO’s Kryptonian pet clearly stemmed from Kara’s deeply held belief that no one wanted Kara, not unless she was being Supergirl.

Kara took a hard look at the things she’d said to Cat, too, and realized that when she’d accused Cat of not being good enough for _her_, she was projecting her own fears that she wasn’t good enough for Cat. The red kryptonite had truly unearthed Kara’s darkest and most painful thoughts. The fact that her darkest thoughts were rooted in self-loathing concerned Kara so much she agreed to keep meeting with Dr. Nosey Parker daily. She made a point of being as honest as she could, and it felt like it was helping. Dr. Drake even laughed when Kara explained the Dr. Nosey Parker nickname.

Cat and Kara’s first date was dinner and movie on an otherwise normal Friday evening. They had dinner at Kara’s favorite Chinese restaurant, of course, and Cat had already purchased their tickets, but on the way to the theater, their stolen kisses in the back of the town car threatened to ignite them both. They detoured to Cat’s penthouse and didn’t leave it once during the entire weekend.

On Monday, they were back to work and nothing changed at the office.

To everyone else, it seemed far from perfect, but it was perfectly Cat and Kara.

Three months later, Kara moved in with Cat and Carter. Two hours after that, Carter called Alex and asked if he could stay the night with her because Kara and his mother were gross and wouldn’t stop making heart-eyes at each other.

Alex suggested he stay the weekend, which he did. When he went home Sunday night, he was not surprised to see the two women he loved sitting at opposite ends of the couch, each with a laptop, working on CATCO business. He was even less surprised that every few minutes one of them would look over at the other with world-class heart-eyes.

Carter had never been happier to be grossed out in his entire life.

Fin!

Sites used for story details!

LUMIR: A six-legged animal, with two arms in addition, with long ears and a green and blue speckled skin, that was perfectly safe for young toddlers to play with. Existed in Argo City, and presumably, the rest of Krypton. https://mindmistress.tumblr.com 

AMPAR - Commander, captain, or chief officer. http://theages.superman.nu/Krypton/glossary.php


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